Travel Tips - Health

If you have any food allergies, learn the names of those foods in the languages used in the countries youíll be visiting. This way youíll be better equipped to stay on the look out for them.

Find out what types of diseases are common to the area youíll be visiting and take actions to prevent your exposure to those diseases.

Find out what types of vaccinations you will need to enter the country, there may also be medications youíll need to take before, during and even after your trip. Get your vaccinations early in case you have a reaction and need some recovery time.

You should consider a dental appointment if you havenít had a check up in a while

Be careful what you eat and drink.

Carry complete health information with you on your trip.

Traveller's information Websites

www.cdc.gov/travel - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Travel Information web page. This site contains updated information and articles on diseases. It also includes guidelines for travel to areas that have suffered a recent natural disaster. The most valuable section of the site is the destinations section. This area of the site contains detailed specific information on diseases common to particular regions of the world, along with the recommended precautions and vaccines advised to avoid those diseases.

www.who.int/ith - The World Health Organizationís Geographical distribution of potential health hazards to travelers web page. This site contains information, divided by regions of the globe, on potential health hazards for travelers within that region.

How can I protect myself from travelerís diarrhea while traveling abroad?

When you are traveling abroad, donít forget that drinking another countryís water can be dangerous.

Stick with bottled or boiled water and carbonated soft drinks.

Remember that the ice in your drink turns into water, so order them with out ice.

Wipe off the tops of cans before you drink from them, or better yet, bring some straws to use for drinking.

Avoid raw foods, as they can also be a good way to get sick.

Only brush your teeth with bottled water and keep your mouth shut when youíre in the shower, even an accidental spray can get you sick.